Positive crankcase ventilation air filter body

ABSTRACT

An air filter body has upper and lower flange portions which are respectively abutingly engaged with a downward turned lip or flange of an upper retainer plate of an associated engine air intake air cleaner assembly and with an upwardly turned lip or flange of a lower support plate of the same air cleaner assembly; the body includes a recess for carrying therein suitable filter means which is juxtaposed to the air cleaner assembly.

United States Patent [191 Saxby Sept. 18, 1973 POSITIVE CRANKCASEVENTILATION AIR FILTER BODY [75] Inventor: Richard M. Saxby, Detroit,Mich.

[73] Assignee: Holley Carburetor Division, Warren,

Mich.

[22] Filed: June 1', 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 148,344

[52] US. Cl 55/350, 55/385, 55/486,

SSIDIG. 19, 55/DIG. 28, 123/119 B [51] Int. Cl. F02|n 35/00 [58] Fieldof Search 55/482, 483, 486,

' 55/487, 489, 350, 510, 509, 419, 385, DIG. 41, DIG. 31, DIG. 28;123/136, 119 B [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Hahn a 3|.55/510 x 8/1966 Lindamood et al 55/510 X 3,221,724 12/1965 Wentworth55/DIG. 28 X Primary Examiner-Frank W. Lutter Assistant ExaminerWilliamCuchlinski, .Ir. Attorney-Walter Potoroka, Sr.

[57] ABSTRACT An air filter body has upper and lower flange portionswhich are respectively abutingly engaged with a downward turned lip orflange of an upper retainer plate of an associated engine air intake aircleaner assembly and with an upwardly turned lip or flange of a lowersupport plate of the same air cleaner assembly; the body includes arecess for carrying therein suitable filter means which is juxtaposed tothe air cleaner assembly.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED 8'97?! 3,759.0 l 5 UVVENTOR.

ATTORNEY POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION AIR FILTER BODY BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION It has now become accepted practice to provide forinternal combustion engines, what is commonly referred to as a PCVsystem. Such a system is one which, through suitable conduitry and checkvalve means, connects the engine crankcase (at a point above the oillevel therein) to the engine intake thereby preventing the venting ofcrankcase gases to the atmosphere and, instead, directing such gases tothe engine intake or supply. system for again undergoing a. combustionprocess..

It is also standard practice, in such internal combustion engines, toprovide an air cleaner assembly situated upstream of the air inductionpassages as formed, for example, in a carburetor. Generally, such aircleaner assemblies are comprisedof a lower situated air cleaner pan (anannular plate) and an upper cover between which is situated an annularcleaner element and retained therein as by having the upper coverclamped downwardly thereon as by the coaction of an upwardly extendingthreaded stud carried by the carburetor and a threaded nut (often a windunit).

It has also been the practice to have the PCV conduit means effectivelyextending into the interior of the air cleaner assembly as by having anaperture formed through the lower air cleaner pan with a perr nanentlyor fixedly situated pipe extending through such aperture.

Such prior artarrangements did provide some difficulty. That is, becauseof the physical size and configuration of the particular associatedcarburetor as well as other related engine controls and linkages, oftenthere was insufficient clearance to permit the use of such a previouslysituated pipe extending through the lower pan of the air cleaner.Consequently, this often resulted in costly and sometimes ineffectivetailoring of the particular components so as to still maintain thenecessary conduitry of the PCV system. I

Accordingly, the invention as herein disclosed and described isprimarily concerned with the solution of the above as well as otherrelated problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, a connector forconnecting conduit means conveying fumes from an engine crankcase to anair cleaner assembly associated with the air induction means of saidengine comprises a main body portion, a mounting portion carried by saidmain body portion, said mounting portion including an arcuate mountingsurface adapted to be placed in abutting relationship to an aircleaningelement of said air cleaner assembly, said mounting portionfurther including upper and lower mounting edges adapted to be confinedbetween and retained by opposed upper and lower annular platescomprising said air cleaner assembly, and a conduit section includingpassage means for completing communication between said air cleaningelement and said conduit means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, wherein for purposes ofclarity certain details and/or elements may be omitted from one or moreviews:

Inn

FIG. I is a side elevational view of a carburetor having an air cleanerassembly mounted atop thereof and employing an air filter body embodyingthe'inven ti'on;

FIG/2 is anenlarg'edview of the air filter body shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken generally onuie DESCRIPTION O THEPREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in greater detail to the drawings,FIG.

1 illustrates a carburetor l0 situated atop an intake manifold 12 of anassociated internal combustion engine. An air cleaner assembly 14 isshown carried atop and secured to the carburetor 10.

The air cleaner assembly 14 may be comprised of a lower annular supportpan or plate 16 (commonly resting on a suitable locator formed on thetop of the body of the carburetor 10) and an upper disc-like cover plate18 with an annular air cleaner or cleaning element 20 situatedtherebetween. A threaded stud 22 secured to th'e carburetor 10 andextendingupwardly therefrom projects through a clearance aperture formedin the cover plate 18 while a wing-type nut 24 threadably engaged withthe stud 22 is effective, upon being tightened, to urge the cover plate18 downwardly against the air cleaning element 20 and lower pan 16thereby holding such in assembled relationship against the carburetor10. l

As shown also in FIGS. 3 and 5, the upper cover 18 has adownwardlydepen'ding annular lip or flange 26 while the lower base orsupport pan has an upwardly directed annular lip or flange 28. As seenin FIG. 3, it is accepted practice to form both the upper and lowerflanges 26 and 28 to have an inner diameter somewhat larger than theouter diameter of the air cleaning element 20 thereby resulting in anannular space therebetween.

As generally illustrated in FIG. I, the air filter body or container 30of an associated PCV system is caused generally peripherally of the aircleaning element'20 and operatively connected as 'by suitable conduitmeans 32 to the related source of engine crankcase fumes 34.

Referring now in greater detail to the remaining Figures, it can be seenthat the PCV connector 30 is comprised of a main body portion 36 havinga cavity or chamber 38 formed therein and open to the rearward surface40 which, as best seen in FIG. 3, is preferably arcuate as to conform tothe outer diameter of cleaning element 20. (In some installations thecleaning element may actually have an externally situated hoop-likeperforated metal guard. Accordingly, when reference is made to thesurface 40 conforming to or abutting against the cleaning element 20 itis also meant that such a relationship will be achieved with respect tosuch an outer metal guard if, in fact, one is employed). The cavity 38as well as the opening 39, as viewed in both FIGS. 3 and 4, may be of agenerally rectangular configuration.

The'body 36' also includes a downwardly depending conduit section 42defining passage means 44 communicating with chamber 38 which is adaptedto receive therein a suitable filter 46 illustrated in phantomcrosssection in FIG. 4.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, the body. 36 is also provided with amounting portion 48 which includes generally laterally extendingwing-like arm portions 50, 52, 54 and 56 defined at the top by an upperedge 58 and defined at the bottom by a lower edge 60.

The manner of applying or securing the PCV connector 30 to the aircleaner assembly 14 is simply as follows. First, the wing nut 24 isloosened and the air cleaner cover plate 18 is raised. Then, the loweredge 60 of the connector housing 30 is slipped into the annular channelbetween the outer diameter of the cleaner element 20 and the innerdiameter of the flange 28 of the lower or support pan 16. (The filterelement 46 is, of course, at this time carried within the chamber orcavity 38.) Next, while holding or urging the body 36 against thecleaner element 20 so as to bring surface 40 in contact therewith, theair cleaner cover 18 is lowered back into place and at the same timetrapping the upper edge 58. between the outer diameter of theaircleaning element 20 and the inner diameter of the upper flange 26 ofcover 18..The nut 24 is then tightened and conduit section 42 isconnected, as by elasto- 'meric conduit means 32 to-the source ofcrankcase in the vicinity of the opening 39 of chamber 38. Conse-'quently a pressure differential is created across the entire PCV systemcausing the fumes to flow from source 34 through conduit means 32,passageway 44, filter 46 (where suspended impurities are filtered), andthrough the air cleaner element 20 into the carburetor inductionpassage.

As shoule be apparent, a major benefit of the invention isthe ability ofconnector 30 to be placed and retained at any convenient location on theperiphery of the air cleaner assembly 14 simply by loosening the nut 24and sliding the connector 30 to whatever location is desired and thenre-tightening the nut 24.

Although the invention is not so limited it, nevertheless, is preferredthat the connector 30 be molded of a plastic material. it has beendiscovered that acetal resin, a high temperature melting point, highlycrystalline, thermoplastic polymer having a chemical structurerepresented by the formula (OCl-l,- is highly suited for the forming ofthe connector 30. in this connection it has also been discovered that anacetal resin erties:

Property ASTM No. Value Tensile stren th at 75F D-638 [0,000 psiFlexural m ulus at 73"F 0-790 410.000 psi Specific Gravity D-792 1.425Melting point'(crystalline) 347F Coefficient of linear thermal expension0-696 415 X- l0" Thermal conductivity l.6 BTU/hrJ Although onlyonepreferred embodiment of the in.- vention has been disclosed anddescribed it should be apparent that other embodiments and modificationsof the invention are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: I,

l. A connector for connecting conduit means conveying fumes from anengine crankcase to an air cleaner assembly associated with the airinduction means of said engine, comprising a main body portion, amounting portion carried by said main body portion, said mountingportion including an arcuate mounting surface adapted to be placed inabutting relationship to an air cleaning element of said air cleanerassembly,

said mounting portion further including upper and lower mounting edgesadapted to be confined between and retained by opposed upper and lowerannular plates comprising said air cleaner assembly, and a conduitsection including passage means for completing communication betweensaid air cleaning element and said conduit means.

2. A connector according to claim 1, including a chamberformed in saidbody portion and having an opening formed in said arcuate mountingsurface, said chamber and said opening comprising a portion of saidpassage means, and said chamber being adapted toreceive therein relatedfilter means for filtering foreign material carried by said fumes.

3. A connector according to claim 1, wherein said mounting portionincludes generally oppositely directed upper and lower wing-likeportions fonning a continuation of said arcuate mounting surface.

4. in combination with an air cleaner assembly, for the intake of aninternal combustion engine, having a lower base plate with an annularupwardly directed flange, an upper cover plate with an annulardownwardly directed flange, andan annular cleaning element situated andretained between said cover plate and said base plate and locatedgenerally within the confines of saidv upwardly and downwardly directedflanges, an air filter body and connector adapted for connection to asource of engine crankcase fumes, said air filter body comprising a bodyportion with a chamber formed therein for the reception of a filtermember, said body also comprising a mounting portion with an arcuatesurface closely confinning to the outer diameter of said air cleaningelement, said chamber including an opening formed in said arcuatesurface, said mounting portion also comprising upper and lower mountingedges, said upper mounting edge being adapted tobe retained generallybetween the outer diameter of said air cleaning element and the innerdiameter of said downwardly directed flange, said lower mountingportionbeing adapted to be retained generally between the outer diameterof said air cleaning element and the inner diameter of said upwardlydirected flange, and conduit means formed in said body for connection toa source of engine crankcase fumes.

, s a: t a a

1. A connector for connecting conduit means conveying fumes from anengine crankcase to an air cleaner assembly associated with the airinduction means of said engine, comprising a main body portion, amounting portion carried by said main body portion, said mountingportion including an arcuate mounting surface adapted to be placed inabutting relationship to an air cleaning element of said air cleanerassembly, said mounting portion further including upper and lowermounting edges adapted to be confined between and retained by opposedupper and lower annular plates comprising said air cleaner assembly, anda conduit section including passage means for completing communicationbetween said air cleaning element and said conduit means.
 2. A connectoraccording to claim 1, including a chamber formed in said body Portionand having an opening formed in said arcuate mounting surface, saidchamber and said opening comprising a portion of said passage means, andsaid chamber being adapted to receive therein related filter means forfiltering foreign material carried by said fumes.
 3. A connectoraccording to claim 1, wherein said mounting portion includes generallyoppositely directed upper and lower wing-like portions forming acontinuation of said arcuate mounting surface.
 4. In combination with anair cleaner assembly, for the intake of an internal combustion engine,having a lower base plate with an annular upwardly directed flange, anupper cover plate with an annular downwardly directed flange, and anannular cleaning element situated and retained between said cover plateand said base plate and located generally within the confines of saidupwardly and downwardly directed flanges, an air filter body andconnector adapted for connection to a source of engine crankcase fumes,said air filter body comprising a body portion with a chamber formedtherein for the reception of a filter member, said body also comprisinga mounting portion with an arcuate surface closely confirming to theouter diameter of said air cleaning element, said chamber including anopening formed in said arcuate surface, said mounting portion alsocomprising upper and lower mounting edges, said upper mounting edgebeing adapted to be retained generally between the outer diameter ofsaid air cleaning element and the inner diameter of said downwardlydirected flange, said lower mounting portion being adapted to beretained generally between the outer diameter of said air cleaningelement and the inner diameter of said upwardly directed flange, andconduit means formed in said body for connection to a source of enginecrankcase fumes.